Expectation
by WeBuiltThePyramids
Summary: Meg's transferring out, and she has a few ideas as to who should be partnered with Harm next. She's not telling him, however, and the Admiral's description is very vague. Alludes to the impending addition of Mac and Bud. Takes place in between "Skeleton Crew" and "We the People." Based on information from "We the People" and "Vanished".


**So to anyone who is waiting on my other works in progress to be updated…soon! I am home from school for three weeks and I'll have time. : )**

**This takes place between the end of season one (disregarding the ending of Skeleton Crew, but not the events of the episode as they were shown in Death Watch) and We The People.**

**I don't own anything. If I owned JAG, well…I wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe Meg would have guest-starred some like Cate did. But I digress.**

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**This is not a Meg/Harm romance fic. The genre listed is 'friendship'. If you do not like fics without Meg/Harm romance, then I'll be frank with you: you will not like this fic. If you choose to read it anyway, that's your decision.  
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Harm got off the phone and shook his head. Another dead lead. Still no closer to solving Diane's murder. And the more time that passed, the less likely it was that they ever would. He'd been told by several people to try to move on, and he supposed they were right. And he was moving on, in more than one way. Diane was dead, Admiral Chegwidden was his new boss, and Lt. Austin was to leave for new duties later that day.

"Hello," came a voice at the door, interrupting his thoughts.

Speaking of Meg..."So you're really transferring out, huh?" Harm asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes," Meg told him, nodding. "They need me aiding students in code cracking. Figures that I can help more people there than as a lawyer."

She had told him already, but Harm nodded in response. "Makes sense," he agreed. "Not that you're not good at this job, Meg," he said when she raised an eyebrow at him, "but if I could still fly, I'd be out there instead of in here. It's what I'm the best at. And computer technology, well, that's your thing."

"Even now?" Meg asked, responding to the middle part. "After all the adventures you've been on since you got grounded?"

"Flying was my life, Lieutenant," Harm said quietly. "You know that. And at least up there, I'd have less free time to think about Diane."

"I'm sorry we couldn't find who did it," Meg said. "I wish I could have been more help."

"You did the best you could," Harm told her, smiling. "You always do."

"Thank you, Sir." Meg gave him the grin that always made her look younger. "It's been a pleasure working with you, sir."

Harm stood up and walked over to her. "You too, Meg."

"Thank you," she said, smiling again. "I'll leave you in good hands. Don't worry."

"Oh you will?" Harm asked, raising his eyebrows in amusement. "Are you hand picking who I'm going to be working with next?"

"I have a couple of people in mind that I'm going to talk to Admiral Chegwidden about," Meg told him. "A couple Navy people and a marine. They'll try to keep you out of trouble."

"You never were very good at keeping me out of trouble," Harm said. "You're too mischievous yourself, you and Cate."

Meg smirked. "Well, one of the potential replacements is of equal rank," she said. "It'd take a lot more skill to get into trouble with someone like that."

"I always liked a challenge," Harm said, grinning.

Meg looked over at the wall clock. "I need to go and see about some paperwork," she said. "I'll come and say good – bye before I go."

"I'm leaving in a half an hour," Harm said. "And then I'm off until Monday."

"Oh." Meg nodded. "Well in that case," she said, nodding to him, "I wish you the best. In everything."

"Right back at you," Harm said, offering his hand. She took it and they shook, then engaged in a bro hug. "You're gonna be a damn good teacher, Meg. That's a lot different from an investigator."

She shrugged. "I've always liked a challenge."

They grinned at each other. "So anything you want to tell me about my potential new partners?" he asked, leaning casually against the door frame. "Apart from them trying to keep me out of trouble. Odds are they are a bit of trouble themselves."

Meg shrugged playfully. "Depends on who you get."

"Care to elaborate?"

She thought for a moment. "Nope."

"Come on, Meg!" he protested when she began to walk away. "Give me a heads up!"

"How could I do that when I don't even know who you're getting?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Well, you could..."

She kept walking. "Fill your brain with a load of information of which only a small piece is relevant?"

"Meg!"

"I'll keep in touch!"

Even though she couldn't see him do it, Harm rolled his eyes.

"Something the matter, Lieutenant Commander?"

"Admiral!" Harm said. "No, sir. Lieutenant Austin was just saying good-bye."

"You two worked well together," Chegwidden said.

"Yes, sir. I hope to work just as well with my next partner, sir."

"I hope the same," the admiral said, nodding. "I'm pairing you up with a Marine Major. Should be a good fit."

Harm took in the news and nodded. "I'm sure I'll be able to work with him, sir. And I'll get my wrestling arm ready for lunch time challenges."

"You picturing heavy drinking, tattoos, two hundred and fifty pounds?" The admiral asked.

Harm shrugged. "Pretty much, sir," he said with a smile.

Admiral Chegwidden looked at him for a moment, smirked, and walked away.

"What does that mean?" Harm asked, taking a few steps in the admiral's trail before realizing the older man had no intention of telling him anything. He stopped. "People don't tell me anything around here."


End file.
